Texans’ Kubiak collapses, Colts rally to win

HOUSTON >> The Houston Texans’ once-promising season has devolved into a disaster.

Following their sixth straight loss, 27-24 to Indianapolis on Sunday night, the Texans are left to worry about coach Gary Kubiak after he collapsed leaving the field at halftime and was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

The team later announced that Kubiak was in stable condition.

“Obviously we were all upset about (it) but trying to stay focused at the same time,” quarterback Case Keenum said.

With the teams heading to the locker rooms at the end of the second quarter, Kubiak hunched over and dropped to his knees at the 24-yard line and was immediately surrounded by medical personnel. He was lifted off the field on a stretcher and taken by cart to the ambulance.

The Texans didn’t say what was wrong with Kubiak, but did say he didn’t have a heart attack. The team said the 52-year-old coach, a former NFL quarterback who calls the team’s plays, was conscious and with his family as he was taken to the hospital.

“He had an episode; he was light-headed and dizzy,” Houston general manager Rick Smith said in an interview on NBC. “He was evaluated by a number of specialists ... he is awake and coherent.”

Andrew Luck got off to a slow start before throwing three second-half touchdowns to T.Y. Hilton to overcome an 18-point halftime deficit and give the AFC-South-leading Colts (6-2) the victory.

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips took over for Kubiak in the second half and described the trying situation.

“We had to adjust as far as the head coach not being there,” Phillips said. “But, it was a shock to everybody.”

Keenum threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start, but had trouble moving the offense after halftime as the Texans, up 21-3 when Kubiak collapsed, lost their sixth straight game after opening the season 2-0 with Super Bowl hopes.

Houston had a chance to tie it, but Randy Bullock’s 55-yard field-goal attempt as time expired sailed wide left.

The Colts took their first lead of the game when Hilton grabbed a 9-yard touchdown reception and Coby Fleener caught the 2-point conversion to make it 27-24 with 4 minutes left.

Five things to know about the Colts-Texans game:

LATE-GAME LUCK: Luck, who is in his second season, has 10 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime, which is the most in a player’s first two seasons in the NFL since 1970. After a tough first half, Luck threw touchdown passes of 10 and 58 yards in the second half before tossing the game-winner to Hilton with 4 minutes left.

JOHNSON’S BIG GAME: Houston receiver Andre Johnson had 229 yards receiving for the third 200-yard receiving game of his career. The three touchdown receptions were a career-high for the 11-year veteran and the most in franchise history.

He hadn’t scored a touchdown this season and had touchdown receptions of 62, 41 and 5 yards on Sunday. His 137 yards in the first quarter were a career-high for a quarter and the third-most in a first quarter in NFL history.

Johnson’s performance gives him 12,067 career yards receiving in 146 games, which ties him with Torry Holt for second-fastest to reach 12,000 yards receiving in NFL history.

HILTON STEPS UP: Sunday was Houston’s first game without star receiver Reggie Wayne, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a win over Denver. Second-year player Hilton’s work in the second half helped the Colts overcome the loss of the Pro Bowler.

Hilton finished with seven receptions for 121 yards and three second-half touchdowns.

“We managed to convert some third downs, put some drives together and T.Y. Hilton did a heck of a job,” Luck said.

FOSTER INJURED AGAIN: Houston running back Arian Foster left after Houston’s first possession with a back injury. He’s struggled all season with various injuries and left early in Houston’s previous game two weeks ago with a hamstring injury. Foster, who ran for 1,424 yards last season, has 121 carries for 542 yards this season. He missed most of training camp with a back injury, but it’s unclear if Sunday’s injury is the same problem or something different.

A CASE FOR CASE: Keenum made his second start on Sunday night in place of a healthy Matt Schaub. Keenum, an undrafted free agent who spent last year on the practice squad, has thrown four touchdowns with no interceptions in two starts. Schaub had eight touchdown passes with nine interceptions in his six starts this season.

Despite the loss, the Texans raved about Keenum’s play.

“Our young quarterback made some great throws,” Phillips said. “(Three) touchdown passes right on the money. It’s a shame it was wasted.”